Combination cushion and life preserver



Au8- @1946. G. BAILHE 2,405,484

COMBINATION CUSHION AND LIFE PRESERVER.

Filed Nov.; 29, 194s INVENTOR QEORGE .afg/L Hf.

Patented Aug. 6, `1946 UNHTED BATES COMBINATION CUSHION AND PRESERVER LIFE George Balhe, Brooklyn,l N, Y;

Application November 29, 1943, Serial No. 512,120

c l Claim. l

This invention relates to structures of upholstery and the like, such as cushions, and more particularly to structures which are adapted for use as cushions as well as life preservers, ring buoys, fenders and other buoyant marine devices.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide novel cover means structurally combining cushion together with a life preserver, which cover means is impervious to air and water, is flexible and does not deteriorate due to aging or other iniiuences and is therefore particularly adapted to form a part of the upholstery7 equipment of a boat or similar vessel, and is readily employable as a life preserver in case of emergBHCY.

It is another object of this invention to provide a combined cushion and life preserver having a surface covering which remains dry at all times, since it does not absorb any liquids, such as water, grease, oil, etc., which covering is inexpensive to manufacture and durable and eflicient in use.

It is a further object of ythis invention to provide a transparent and waterproof covering for a floatable or buoyant device, which :covering may carry on its underface any designs, configurations, identifications, numerals, flags, emblems or other indicia, colored and/or luminous, if desired, which indicia are visable from the top surface of the covering and are only accessible upon destroying or damaging said covering.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide means in the form of a transparent cover or removable layer made of suitable plastic or flexible resinous material of such character that it will not absorb water, grease, oil and will have sufficient toughness and iiexibility so that ordinary wear and tear or washing off of dirt, etc., deposited on the outer surface of said cover will not affect in any way indicia of any desired character (designs, configurations, inscriptions, instructions, etc.) provided at the underface of said cover, since said indicia, which may be viewed through said cover material are not subjected to any direct contact by the user and are therefore safe from abrasion, friction or eiacement which disadvantages cannot be avoided in known devices of this type.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a substantially two-part buoyant device whose inner portion is made of a material having the quality of floating in a liquid, while the outer portion of which forms a waterproof covering and encloses said inner portion, said covering being made of transparent, exible plastic ored and/or luminous) which are perceivable through said covering from its upper surface.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a substantially compressible buoyant device which may serve as a ycushion or similar uphol- `stery piece, said cushion having a cover'which is exible enough to give, orto follow any movements due to pressure, etc.,` exerted on the surface of the cushion which is waterproof and airtight and can be washed `or cleaned on its surface, .and which may be transparent so -as to carryv on its inner face any desired indicia not subjected t0 abrasion or friction and which are viewable from thev outside ofA the cushion, but are only accessible upon opening or destroying the cover.

Yet, another object of the invention is to provide strap or handle means preferably made of the same material as that of the cover for carrying 0r attaching the cushion to a chair or other support, which means may also be employed to x the life preserver in proper position on a persons body, when used in case of emergency.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide transparent and durable cover .means of flexible plastic material adapted to contain a cushion, and the like, and indicia positioned intermediate said cushion and said cover means, which indicia are clearly visible, but are remotely arranged from stresses and pressure exerted on the upper surface of said cover means'.

These and other new and useful objects may be attained as will appear from the following disclosure of the invention, which consists in the features of novelty in construction, combination, and arrangement of the several parts, hereinafter more fully described and shown in the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows in perspective a combination cushion and life preserver device made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a Vcross-sectional view of the device taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now particularly to the drawing, there is Ishown a cushion l0 which contains kapok material ll or any other suitable and known material having the quality to float or move in liquids, and which has a covering l2 made of flexible, preferably transparent plastic or resinous material of suficient strength or thickness to inner or underface I3 and at any desired location thereof indicia of any configuration, such as the picture of a sail boat I4. It is understood that instead of a picture any otherindicia such as instructions, identifications, flags, emblems, etc., may be imprinted on or otherwise affixed to said underface I3 which indicia may be colored or not and/or of luminous character and are discernible through the transparent covering from therewithout. Y

Covering I2, in this instance, comprises two separate parts i261., I2b, which may be sealed by Welding (heat operation) or adhesivelysecured together at joints I5, I6. As lseen in Fig. 2 cover part |211 is also provided With a layer of indicia Ida in a, manner similar to that indicated by numeral I4.

Sealed between covering parts I2a, |219Y or otherwise secured to covering I2 are straps or bands I'I, I8 which may be made of the same plastic material as that of the covering I2. Straps or bands I1, IB may be used as holders for carrying the cushion I!) from place to placeY (for eX- ample, on a boat) or to attach said cushion to a chair or other support or to use the same for affixing the cushion to the arms or body of a person in the event that the cushion is Vemployed as a life preserver in case of emergency.

It may .be noted that covering I2 may be made of a single sheet of plastic material of the aforesaid nature or may be stitched or sewn at the line of juncture, by means of a plastic thread I9, as indicatedin Fig. l.

If kapok or other material having high `floating qualities is proposed as cushion filling, then the cushion has not to be necessarily sealed to make same airtight and covering I2 may be sewn as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be easily realized that indicia I4 or Ma positioned intermediate inner cushion portion Ii and outer or cover portion I2, is well protected against effacement, damage or attack resulting from usage of the outer surface of V covering I2, that covering I2 may be cleaned or washed without producing any frictional contact with said indicia, which is only accessible upon opening or destroying covering I2 and that said surface of covering i2 may be exposed to sun, grease, oil and other influences without affecting said indicia on its inner or underface.

Thus, the covering containing the cushion ma.. terial constitutes also a protective layer or coating for said indicia, which function and result could not be heretofore obtained with canvas, leather, rubber, artificial leather or similar material which are of opaque character and are generally not resistant to the aforementioned atmospheric and other in uences.

It is well understood that other materials than kapok, such as balsa or cork, etc., may be employed in connection with the device here under consideration. The cushion or pillow referred to and shown in the drawing may, of course, assume any other desirable shape (box-shaped, tapered, ring-shaped, etc.) for the purpose intended.

The new covering is light in weight, durable, impervious and flexible, has the quality of withstanding relatively high pressures, reflects light rays and does not take up any heat, which occurs with the aforementioned known cover materials, may be continuously produced in sheets and imprinted (in reverse style or fashion) on the unde'rface with the aforesaid indicia, so as to be normally perceived through the transparent material at the upper surface thereof.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the novel features of the invention as applied to the above embodiment, it will be un derstood that various omissions, substitutionsandchanges in the form and details of the device illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit of the invention. Y

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

An ornamental cushion, life preserver, or the like comprising in combination; a mass of resilient compressible substance adapted to be compressed and to assume substantially its original shape after pressure has been relieved therefrom; with a permanently affixed cover therefor completely surrounding said compressible mass to form a cushion, life preserver or other like articles, said cover comprising a liexible, elastic and transparent sheet of plastic substance which isV impervious to Water and unaffected by oil and grease,`and is adapted to flex and stretch in substantialconformity with the deformation of said -compressiblecushiom life preserver, or the like lpress'ible mass perceivable from the outside-surface remote from said compressible mass, said ornamental indicia beingthereby protected from Waten oil, grease and abrasion to prevent Wear and damage thereto.

GEORGE BAILHE. 

